The Heartforge
by Mage and Knight
Summary: Sabrina and Bethany encounter Tasslehoff on Earth, and are transported into Krynn. Here begins the epic story that is still being written. Events take place during 'The Soulforge.' Rated K to T, varying between chapters. No slash.
1. Chapter One

Title: The Heartforge  
Written By: Anargil and SolamnicKender (Mage and Knight)  
Summary: After encountering Tasslehoff Burrfoot, Bethany and Sabrina are transported into Krynn. Now what?  
Disclaimer: We don't own anything you recognize.

Chapter One: Topknots. Transported. The old woman.  
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They were sitting in the back room of the dance barn when it happened. Sabrina absently glanced out the window and saw the unthinkable. A topknot. "Did you see that?" she asked in confusion, a slight nuance of excitement in her voice.

"What?" Bethany asked nonchalantly.

"A topknot! Out the window!"

Bethany raised an eyebrow, though she seemed slightly excited as well. Rachel scoffed. "That's crazy. It's just kids being stupid or something."

The topknot bobbed by again.

Sabrina and Bethany jumped up to go see. Rachel followed a moment later in order to ridicule them when it became apparent that there was no kender marching about below the window.

Bursting out the door, Sabrina and Bethany charged outside to where the kender would be. And came face to face with...

"How do you do? I'm Tasslehoff Burrfoot! Gosh, those are funny clothes," the kender said as he extended his small hand to them.

Rachel stood, dumbstruck, but Sabrina and Bethany did not hesitate, each reaching for Tas's hand. Their fingers barely touched his... when suddenly he flung his hand up and pointed up in the sky. "Look! A bird!" Bethany jumped back at the sudden movement, but Sabrina looked up at the sky, noting that the sun seemed slightly different. Glancing back to ask Rachel's opinion on it, she suddenly froze. Rachel had disappeared.

Bethany had hit the wall of the building when she jumped back. Turning around, placing a hand on her head, she jumped again. "Sabrina..." she moaned in an unnaturally high voice.

"What?!" Sabrina snapped, preoccupied by Rachel's disappearance.

"The wall!"

"What about the wall?" Sabrina asked, exasperated.

Bethany pointed in the direction of the wall, making a funny noise in her throat.

"What about the wall? There's no…" Sabrina stopped suddenly. "Oh," she said as realization dawned. The wall of the dance barn was gone.

They glanced around as power lines and cars along with all other signs of modern convenience disappeared before their disbelieving eyes.

"Look! A battle!" Tas shouted excitedly, pointing off into the distance.

Bethany jumped again at Tas's shout and Sabrina spun around towards the direction Tas had pointed. As they strained their ears, they could hear the faint sounds of screaming and the clashing of arms. "Let's go help!" Tas started toward the battle, an excited smile on his face.

"No!" Sabrina and Bethany both shouted, each grabbing one of Tas's arms and dragging him back towards a woodsy area behind them. As they were about to slip between the trees, both let out a sigh of relief, but Tas's shouts had not gone unheard.

"Look! Women! Get them! First one there gets first pick!"

Sabrina and Bethany looked at the advancing men, then turned on their heels and ran.

After a few moments, Sabrina's voice reached Bethany's ears where she was running ahead with Tas. "Uh...huffpuff... Bethie? puff I really...gasp can't run anymore! puff"

Bethany's eyes searched around frantically for somewhere, anywhere to hide... when she spied an old woman sitting in a bush. She stopped dead. "You might try hiding here in the bushes," the woman suggested helpfully.

"Uhhh... thanks, I think," Bethany said, shoving Tas into the bushes beside the old woman and running back to help Sabrina, who was hanging onto the branch of a tree, gasping for breath. Bethany spared a moment to ridicule Sabrina. "You know, that's REALLY pathetic. We haven't even been running for a minute!"

Sabrina cast Bethany a scathing glance. "No, really?"

A shout brought Bethany's attention back to the present problem. "I call the blonde-haired one!" shouted one of the pursuing men.

Bethany stood stock-still, aghast.

Grabbing Bethany's hand, Sabrina dragged her to where Tasslehoff stood in the bushes, jumping up and down, shouting in excitement. "Run! Run! Isn't this the most fun you've ever had in your entire life?! This is so exciting! What do those men want anyways? Hey, maybe we could help them!"

Sabrina and Bethany turned a light shade of green as the old woman gently tugged them down into the bushes. "Why can't we help them?" Tasslehoff queried innocently.

"I'll tell you later, dear," the old woman said hastily.

They all cowered in the bushes as the men ran past. "Why don't they see us?" Sabrina hissed to Bethany.

"Magic, duh," Bethany said in a regular voice.

"Shhh!" Sabrina shushed her frantically.

"There's no need to whisper, dear," the old woman said complacently. "It's not like we're in any danger." A man's head was lopped off and landed in front of them.

"Gross," Bethany said nonchalantly. Sabrina looked about to faint.

"I think it's time for a change of scene," the woman mused. She waved her hand and the landscape around them dissolved into crude, rough-hewn wooden walls. They were now inside some type of hut or cabin. The smells of herbs permeated the air; some pleasant, some not so pleasant.

Bethany frowned, wrinkling her nose. "I hate the smell of lavender."

Sabrina looked at Bethany sharply. "I would say it's a vast improvement to our last setting. At least there aren't any dying or dead people here."

Raising an eyebrow in amusement, Bethany said, "Sabrina, turn around. Look behind you."

Sabrina turned to see a human skeleton hanging on a stand behind her. She shrieked and jumped away, knocking over a chair and falling heavily to the floor. Bethany chuckled. So immersed in mirth was she that Bethany had forgotten all about the old woman who had transported them there. The woman's clawlike hand grasped Bethany's shoulder and she jumped and flinched away. Sabrina and Tas started laughing while Bethany glowered.

"Do it again!" Tas shouted out. "Do it again! Can I jump this time?" The kender bounced up and down excitedly.

"My," the old woman observed, "you are a jumpy lot. Had a brush with the slavers, perhaps?" The woman's eyes were keen and curious.

"Ah... slavers?" Sabrina repeated, confused. "No, no I don't think so."

"Well then, where are you from?" The woman asked.

"We're from Finchley!" Bethany piped up, quoting the Narnia movie and lying without a second thought.

Sabrina turned to her companion curiously. "Ah... um... we are?" she muttered quietly.

"Yeah..." Bethany hissed through clenched teeth.

"Right, of course! Finchley. We're two Finchlians!"

The old woman raised an eyebrow quizzically but did not comment. Bethany stepped on Sabrina's foot, trying to shut her up. "Ow!" Sabrina exclaimed. "Why'd you step on my foot?"

Bethany clapped a hand to her forehead, muttering "You obviously cannot comprehend the word 'subtle.'"

The old woman snorted in amusement as she bustled around the kitchen making tea. "You remind me, quite vividly, of someone I am acquainted with. It is rather amusing."

"Okay then..." Bethany commented sarcastically.

The woman simply chuckled and continued making tea.

"What's your name?" Tas asked Sabrina, having completely missed the sarcasting bantering between the three women.

"Ah... Sabrina. Sabrina Suzy-Q Castle," Sabrina answered.

Bethany groaned inwardly at Sabrina's utter innocence and trust when confronted with strangers. "And yours?" the old woman demanded, turning back to Bethany.

"How about yours first?" Bethany asked caustically.

The old woman looked surprised and amused. "Folks call me Weird Meggin," she said.

"Well, do you like that? Or do you want us to call you something else? Like Miss Meggin, or Mistress Meggin?" Sabrina said.

"How about Madam Meggin?" Tas piped up.

"Or Lady Meggin?" Sabrina added, the two of them grinning like fools.

"How about Miss Weird?" Bethany muttered.

Meggin laughed. "Yes, as I said. You and young Master Raistlin are very much alike."

"Raistlin?" Bethany squeaked, losing her composure completely.

Sabrina burst out laughing. "Well, there goes the Spock attitude down the drain."

"Oh?!" Bethany snapped. "And you're any better, Kirk?"

Meggin frowned, confused. "I thought you said your name was Sabrina."

"It is," Sabrina said.

"I get it!" Tas exclaimed. "Kirk is your last name! And Spock is yours!"

"Ahh, well..." Sabrina stammered.

"Sure, we'll go with that. Least complicated explanation," Bethany quickly replied.

"Well, I'm off!" Tas declared abruptly. "I have to see Flint!"

"Flint? Flint Fireforge?" Sabrina exclaimed.

"Oh, do you know him? I'll tell him you said hi. Gotta go!"

"No!" Sabrina shouted after the retreating topknot. "I didn't mean..."

TBC


	2. Chapter Two

Title: The Heartforge  
Written By: Anargil and SolamnicKender (Mage and Knight)  
Summary: Sabrina nearly forgets her weapons, and Bethany is excited about the Solace Fair.  
Disclaimer: We don't own anything you recognize.

Chapter Two: Departure. Warrior Intelligence. Sighting.  
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Two Months Later...

"I am sick and tired of weapons training!" Sabrina exclaimed. "We beat Meggin almost every time now!"

"What?" Bethany asked absentmindedly, engrossed in studying her spellbook.

"Haven't you been listening?" Sabrina demanded.

"No," Bethany admitted bluntly.

"Oh, some friend you are!" Sabrina snorted.

Bethany shrugged apologetically. "So what were you saying?"

"I said we've got to get out of here! I'm sick of weapons training!"

"Okay, let's go then," Bethany said. "I thought you'd never want to leave."

"You've wanted to leave this whole time?" Sabrina asked incredulously. "Why didn't you say something?"

"I didn't want to impose," Bethany said. "I was being patient." She rose, shut her spellbook with a snap, and stuck it in a pack which she pulled off a wall.

"Are... are you sure we're supposed to take those?" Sabrina said questioningly.

"No, but the woman's been housing and feeding us for about two months, and shows no intentions of letting us leave. I'm sure this pack costs a lot less than another two months of that. Here, you'll need one too." She pulled another off the wall and tossed it to Sabrina, who dropped it but picked it up quickly.

Bethany disappeared into the kitchen and pantry area and after about two minutes came out with a load of food and two full water skins. She packaged half the food into her pack and half into Sabrina's, then attached one waterskin to each pack and slung hers onto her back. "Ready?"

"Umm... sure!" Sabrina said, surprised at this unusual decisiveness. Bethany hardly ever made decisions and now she was making dozens of them, leaving Sabrina flabbergasted and not sure how to react. "Okay, let's go adventuring!" Sabrina shouted excitedly. With a whoop she bounded out the front door.

"Ah, aren't you forgetting something?" Bethany asked casually.

"No, I don't think so." Sabrina replied, stopping in midstride. "Let's see... food, water, clothes... nope! All fine here!"

"Your sword?" Bethany suggested mildly, smirking.

"Ah... right. Sword. Might be a good thing to bring along," Sabrina stammered, embarrassed.

"You think?" Bethany asked sarcastically.

Quickly Sabrina grabbed her sword and slid it into the scabbard on her belt. She turned to leave, but stopped when she realized Bethany was still staring at her. "What?" Sabrina asked, confused.

"You're still missing your bow," Bethany said, "and for goodness sake don't forget the quiver."

"Right. What kind of imbecile do you think I am? Who'd bring the bow and forget the quiver?" Sabrina snapped, annoyed.

"Oh, I don't know," Bethany said. "Maybe someone who brings the scabbard but forgets the sword."

"Oh! Well I hope you're not forgetting anything!" Sabrina said peevishly. "Like, maybe, your dagger?"

The dagger, concealed in the sleeve of Bethany's red robes, flashed out and was immediately an inch from Sabrina's nose.

"Ah," Sabrina said. "You have it. Right. Shall we... go then?"

The dagger disappeared back into Bethany's sleeve rapidly. "Yep! Let's go!" she said.

Together the two girls stepped out the front door and started down the winding dirt path. As soon as they had rounded the first curve and Meggin's cottage was no longer in sight, Sabrina began to slow. For the next several minutes, Sabrina proceeded to throw glances behind her. Finally, Bethany got fed up. "What the heck is wrong with you?" she demanded, peeved.

"Are you sure we should just walk out on Meggin like this?" Sabrina asked hesitantly. "I mean, she is rather nice, and we didn't even say goodbye!"

"Oh my word!" Bethany exclaimed. "She'll be fine! She'll probably figure it out anyways."

"Well of course she will," Sabrina replied absentmindedly. "I left her a note."

"You what?" Bethany roared. "When did you have time to write a note?"

"I wrote one a couple of weeks ago in my spare time, just in case we had to leave in a hurry for some reason or another."

"Your spare time?" Bethany asked incredulously. "You've been training from 5:30 in the morning to around 9:00 every night if not later. When did you have any spare time?"

"Well," Sabrina remarked, unperturbed, "actually I had lots of spare time to compose the letter in my head. It was just finding the time to write it down."

"You composed it in your head?" Bethany said. "When?"

"Oh, for goodness sake, Bethie!" Sabrina snapped. "Do you really think my intellect is so low that I can't think while hanging from a tree, or balancing on a bar over a swamp? Just because I am a warrior does not mean I'm all brawn and no brains!"

"True," Bethany said. "It's the armor. Even if it doesn't really look like his at all, it still reminds me of Caramon."

"Would you rather I went around without my armor?" Sabrina suggested.

"Nope! We're good!" Bethany said hastily. "Armor's good. I like armor."

"Alright then."

The two continued in relative silence for about ten minutes, and then Bethany paused. "I hear noises, up ahead," she said.

"I don't hear - oh, wait, I do. What is that?" Sabrina wondered.

"Sounds like a crowd of people," Bethany observed. "A mob or a... gathering of some sort."

"Dangerous?"

"No, it doesn't sound angry. More happy than that."

"What might it be?"

"We're debating in a vacuum. Let's go find out," Bethany said.

They kept walking until they rounded a corner and saw a bunch of tents with hundreds of people milling around. Bethany stopped suddenly. "What is it?" Sabrina asked. "It's not dangerous at all, it's just a fair."

"Exactly," Bethany said. "The Solace Fair. Don't you remember? In the Soulforge?"

"You're right!" Sabrina exclaimed, remembering the book. "And if this is the same fair as in the book - "

"Then pretty soon, Raistlin will climb up on that stump in a ridiculous robe and start a magic show," Bethany finished, pointing at a stump near the fair.

They looked around, taking in the sights, when suddenly Sabrina grabbed Bethany's arm, at which Bethany flinched. Ignoring the flinch, Sabrina hissed at Bethany "Look! There they are! Caramon and Raistlin!"

She started to point at them to further point them out, but Bethany grabbed her hand and yanked it back down. "Don't point," she muttered. "We don't want to attract attention. Remember how perceptive Raistlin is. He'll notice anything unusual we do, and he's one of the last people we want to find out we're not from here."

"Right," Sabrina said meekly. "Oh, but look! It's really them!" she exclaimed, almost pointing again but stopping herself in time.

Bethany simply rolled her eyes. "You know, you could pass for a kender warrior. You've got all the energy, plus you're rather short."

Sabrina laughed at that, but she did shut up for a while.

TBC


	3. Chapter Three

Title: The Heartforge  
Written By: Anargil and SolamnicKender (Mage and Knight)  
Summary: We meet the Companions, and Tas enjoys a magic show.  
Disclaimer: We don't own anything you recognize.

Chapter Three: Solamnics. "Magic." I think we're in trouble.  
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Bethany was intently watching the two brothers as they made their way towards the stump. she and Sabrina had entered the actual crowd of the fair now, so the brothers were harder to spot, but Raistlin's crazy robe made it easier; white with black and red moons and stars sewn on. Though both she and Sabrina were doing their best to seem unobtrusive, Bethany kept her eyes on Raistlin for one moment too long. He looked up from where he was fiddling with his tricks about ten feet away and met her eyes. Both Sabrina and Bethany continued walking, and Bethany nodded at Raistlin in greeting as they passed him, and then removed her gaze. "Ice-blue eyes," she thought. "I'd almost forgotten. The Test hasn't happened yet." She berated herself for being stupid enough to draw attention right after she'd told Sabrina not to.

Sabrina was having problems as well. She was looking excitedly around at everything and anything, until her eyes saw what had to be Sturm Brightblade. A scrawny moustache and straight demeanor clued her in. But the thing that confirmed to her that this was Sturm was as they passed him, she couldn't help but grin. He returned her greeting with a solemn nod, and then she saw his gaze move beside her and turn to a look of disdain. She turned her head to see what he was looking at. Bethany. And then she remembered Sturm's extreme distrust and dislike of magic-users. "Hmph!" she snorted to herself. "I'll set him straight." "Excuse me," she said, turning to Sturm. "I couldn't help but notice that you seem to have an irrational dislike for my friend."

Sturm looked back at Sabrina and a slight frown creased his face. "No," he replied. "I simply do not agree with or trust any magic-users."

Sabrina raised an eyebrow quizzically and fixed him with her best superior stare. "That is an interesting prejudice for someone striving to be a knight. After all, Huma's best friend was Magius."

Bethany had continued walking, berating herself for drawing Raistlin's attention, until she realized that Sabrina was no longer beside her. With a start of alarm she spun around to find Sabrina engaged in conversation with none other than Sturm Brightblade. With a quick prayer to the gods for patience, she hurried up beside Sabrina. "Sabrina! Where have you been, and what the heck are you doing?" she said in mock cheerfulness, though the last was forced between gritted teeth.

"Me? Oh, I've been right here, informing Sturm that his dislike of magic-users makes no sense," Sabrina explained, blissfully unaware of the scathing glances Bethany was casting at her. "He threw a disdainful look at you. I wasn't going to let him get away with that!"

"Wait," Sturm said, looking curiously at Sabrina. "How did you know my name?"

"Random guess," Bethany said quickly. Turning to Sabrina, she continued. "Sabrina, that was very kind and thoughtful of you, but I assure you I am more than capable of dealing with dirty looks. And now we need to go. We apologize for taking up your valuable time, sir," she added, bowing politely to Sturm but failing to keep notes of sarcasm out of both her voice and actions. "Farewell." Grabbing Sabrina's arm, she dragged her away.

"Bye! Nice meeting you, Sturm!" Sabrina called, turning and waving over her shoulder at the thoroughly bemused Sturm.

Bethany rolled her eyes, then yanked Sabrina between two tents, all hope of secrecy lost when Sabrina yelled "Ow!" Ignoring her pained cry, Bethany turned to Sabrina and fixed her with a burning glare. "Alright," she said, steel-grey eyes flashing dangerously. "You can't just go around telling people stuff! Didn't I just say not to attract attention? And then you go and call Sturm by name, AND tell him off for giving me a dirty look! What is wrong with you?"

"I just thought - " Sabrina started.

"No, you didn't think. Not enough, at any rate."

Sabrina glared, but before she could reply, Sturm appeared behind her. Apparently he had followed them. Completely ignoring Bethany, he turned and addressed Sabrina. "I fail to understand your loyalty to this insulting and abusing magic-user."

"Oh, she's just upset," Sabrina explained. "She'll calm down." Bethany glared at her, and Sabrina just grinned back.

"If you are under influence of magic that hinders you from severing all ties with this repulsive creature (here Sabrina gasped in shock and indignance), I will attempt to assist you, even if I have to... consult with another magic-user I am... unfortunately acquainted with, who, incidentally, this one acts very much like."

Bethany, knowing exactly which magic-user Sturm referred to, snorted in laughter. Sturm looked at her strangely, then looked back at Sabrina.

"No, I'm not under any magical influence," Sabrina said. "But - "

At that moment, Sabrina was nearly knocked over by a small figure who unexpectedly emerged from a flap in the side of one of the tents. The figure looked up, and Sabrina recognized him. "Tas!"

"I know you!" Tas exclaimed, grinning up foolishly at Sabrina. "It's so exciting to see you again! Are you happy to see me? Flint wasn't when I came home yesterday. He roared at me and I went back out the front door because he didn't seem too happy. I - "

"You know this kender?" Sturm asked Sabrina in surprise.

"We've had dealings with him before," Bethany answered hastily before Sabrina could give anything else away.

"I wasn't asking you," Sturm said caustically, meeting Bethany's gaze with extreme dislike.

"Thank you for your company, sir, but we must be going," Bethany said coldly. She'd had enough of this. "Again, farewell." She walked out of the opening between the the tents, muttering to Sabrina so that Sturm couldn't hear, "We have a magic show to see."

"Magic show?" Tas's ears almost visibly perked up. He rushed out of the opening and was soon ahead of Sabrina and Bethany. Sturm followed more slowly.

The two girls arrived at the gathering around Raistlin's magic show shortly after Tas did. Bethany saw Raistlin cast Caramon an alarmed glance at the appearance of the kender, and Caramon moved over next to the bowl with the growing amount of money in it to assure it wouldn't be stolen.

They enjoyed the magic show for a few minutes, until there was a commotion in the crowd. "For shame!" boomed a deep voice, whom both girls knew belonged to Master Theobald, Raistlin's teacher at the school of magic. "For shame!" he said again.

As Theobald continued on to rant and rave at Raistlin about disgracing the name of magic in such a manner, Bethany couldn't help but smile to herself. These were the exact events she remembered from the Soulforge.

Tas had by now 'accidentally' taken Master Theobald's pouch and had started up a game of toss with it between himself and Caramon. Sabrina saw Tas turn and look at her, then toss the pouch into the air toward her. She was about to catch it when... two hands emerged, seemingly out of nowhere, and nabbed it before she could reach it. She turned around to see Sturm, walking out to return the pouch to its' owner. He handed the pouch back to the indignant Theobald, bowing politely even though his dislike for magic-users was apparent. Theobald ranted at Raistlin a little more, but Raistlin only stepped down from the stump when Theobald threatened him with expulsion from the school. He agreed not to disgrace magic-users again in such a manner.

As the crowd thinned, Bethany approached where Tas stood before Raistlin cautiously. She could hear Tas jabbering at him; "I didn't know I had coins up my nose. Could you make them come out of my nose again? Here, I'll stick this one up there and - "

"Don't do that, you'll hurt yourself. Besides, this is our money," Raistlin said, removing the coin from Tas's hand.

"Gosh," Sabrina injected, jumping into the conversation with complete disregard to the covert movements Bethany was making trying to keep Sabrina from doing any damage. "I think it would really hurt to stick a coin up your nose. Besides," she said, "it's not really up your nose, it just looks like it comes out. It's just a trick, my brother used to do that kind of stuff all the time."

"Really?" Tas asked. "Could you show me?"

"Actually, I never learned quite how to do it," Sabrina admitted with regret.

"Oh..." Tas said, voice trailing off in disappointment.

"But, if Rai... the mage here did it, I'm sure he could show you!" Sabrina quickly added.

Raistlin frowned slightly, having heard Sabrina accidentally start to say his name before hurriedly trying to cover it up. "And you are?" he asked coldly.

Sabrina flushed, embarrassed. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Sabrina and my friend here is - "

"Studying to be a mage," Bethany cut in before Sabrina could continue.

"And I don't trust her," Sturm added, eyeing Bethany.

"Well, why wouldn't you trust Sabrina?" Bethany said, sarcastically incredulous. "You've only been following her around since we passed you in the street."

"Perhaps it is because he does not trust her," Raistlin added, joining in.

Sturm flushed, muttering something about "I meant you, not Sabrina." Raistlin and Bethany smirked.

"Oh, leave him alone, you guys!" Sabrina scolded gently. "You know, she said, turning to Sturm, "You really were goading them though. And that is the reason I always defend my 'insulting' friend, because she always defends me!"

"Ah, what are we talking about?" Caramon asked.

"Master-My-Honor-Is-My-Life here asked Sabrina earlier if she was under some magical influence that kept her from 'severing all acquaintances' with me." Bethany explained sarcastically.

"Oh," Caramon said, scratching his head in confusion.

Bethany threw him a disgusted look. "Never mind."

"As I was saying," Tas piped up again, "Could you make the rabbit come out of the box again? Or pull the silk scarves out of your mouth? Or pull this coin out from behind someone's ear?"

"That's another one of our coins," Raistlin said, removing the second coin from the possession of the kender.

"Is it? you must have dropped it." Tas held out his hand. "How do you do? My name is Tasslehoff Burrfoot. What's yours?"

Sabrina looked at Raistlin's face, seeing that he was prepared to coldly rebuff the kender, but was reconsidering. Even so, she was surprised when Raistlin shook Tas's hand, though she knew that such an event did happen in the book at this time.

"I am Raistlin Majere, and this is my brother Caramon, and his friend, Sturm Brightblade."

Bethany couldn't help but laugh inwardly at the look on Sturms' face as custom, manners, and politeness forced him to shake hands with a kender.

"Hi there, little fella," Caramon greeted, engulfing Tas's hand with his own.

"I don't like to mention this, Caramon," Tas said seriously, "since we've only just been introduced, but it's very rude to keep commenting on a person's size. For instance, you wouldn't like it if I called you Beer Barrel Belly, would you?"

Both Bethany and Raistlin started laughing, Sabrina giggling at Tas's antics. Caramon, happy to see his brother in such good spirits and happy to find two people who tolerated, even liked, Raistlin, let out a loud laugh and clapped Tas on the back, nearly flattening the kender.

Raistlin got up from where he had been forced to sit down on the stump from his mirth and began to gather his boxes and bags of magic tricks and pranks, Caramon jumping forward to help. Noticing that there were a couple too many boxes for the brothers to carry along with the money bowl, Sabrina politely stepped forward. "I'll help carry something."

"Me too!" Tas said, eyeing the many props in the boxes.

"Thanks, but we can manage," Caramon said hurriedly, rescuing the rabbit from being engulfed by one of the kender's numerous pouches. Sturm removed several of the silk scarves from Tas's pocket, and Bethany emptied several more coins out of his hand and handed them back to Raistlin.

"You should be more careful of your possessions," Tas scolded. "It's a good thing I was here to find them. I'm glad I was. You really are a wonderful magician, Raistlin. May I call you Raistlin? Thanks. And I'll call you Caramon, if you'll call me Tasslehoff, which is my name, only my friends call me Tas, which you can too, if you like. And I'll call you Sturm." Finally he turned to Bethany. "And I still don't know your name."

"No. You don't." Bethany agreed, but said nothing more.

"Have you traveled a lot? I have. I've been all over Ansalon," Tas babbled on, hardly noticing Bethany's non-answer. "I've been to Solamnia, The Plains of Dust, Abanasinia... though I suppose you knew about Abanasinia, seeing as we're here in Solace right now. Sturm, have you been to Solamnia?"

"I have not," Sturm replied, interested. "Have you truly been there?"

Tas nodded happily. "I saw all the knights. They all had moustaches like yours, except more if it - the moustache, I mean. Yours is a bit scrawny right now, but I can see you're working on it."

"Thank you," Sturm said, stroking his new moustache subconsciously in a gesture that made Bethany snicker.

The brothers started to move toward the exit. Tas followed, saying he'd seen all he cared to that day, and grabbed hold of Sabrina's hand as he went, dragging her along with him. Bethany had no choice but to follow. Sturm stood for a moment, not wanting to accompany either sarcastic mage, but wanting to go with Sabrina and the kender to hear more tales of Solamnia. He decided to follow the group.

Seeing everyone following along behind them, Tas piped up with an idea. "Why don't you all come home with me for supper? I'm sure Flint wouldn't mind."

"Who's Flint? Your wife?" Caramon asked.

Tasslehoff burst into raucous laughter, accompanied by a snorting Sabrina. "Ha! That's funny. Wait'll I tell him that. You know Flint, don't you Sabrina? I'd forgotten! He didn't remember you when I said hi to him that one time for you, probably because he's getting old. But that's why he needs me to take care of him." He smiled happily, glad to feel useful.

"Well, actually, I know, um, of him," Sabrina stammered, hoping to avoid an awkward situation once they arrived at Flint's.

Bethany saw Raistlin raise an eyebrow, and quickly decided to steer the conversation out of these dangerous waters. "Actually, Sabrina, when Tas spoke of Flint before, I think you thought he said FlintFlyford" she cut in, emphasizing the surname and looking pointedly at Sabrina. "He's the one we know of."

Sabrina nodded. "Ah, right. Fly... ford," she said, stumbling over the unfamiliar name.

"Are you sure?" Tas said. "I'm sure you said Fireforge."

"Well, maybe you were under a curse to hear things wrong," Bethany suggested. Raistlin snorted at the absurdity of the spell, but said nothing.

Tas's face lit up. "Really? You think so? That's so exciting! Is Sabrina really your name?" he asked, turning to Sabrina. "Because if I'm hearing things wrong, then that might now be your name. But how would you tell?" He continued to jabber on to Sabrina about the endless possibilities.

Raistlin walked up beside Bethany, glancing at her sideways. "A curse to hear things wrong?" he quoted, in a quiet voice so similar to the one Bethany knew he would use after the Test that it sent shivers down her spine.

"I simply wanted him to shut up," Bethany explained, nervous in spite of herself.

Raistlin glanced back at the kender, who was talking more and faster than ever with Sabrina. "I see how effective that strategy was," he commented, looking at Bethany again, trying to read anything unusual in her expression. Bethany knew she'd have to be extra careful.

"As long as he's not talking at me, I'm fine with it," she said coolly, keeping eye contact, unwavering.

Raistlin seemed about to reply, but thought better of it and merely eyed Bethany in a way that seemed to search her. She held his gaze for a moment longer, and then nodded, concluding the conversation. "Excuse me," she said, turning and beginning to head back to speak to Sabrina.

It was then that she saw Caramon staring at her. She looked back at him strangely and then saw him try to pretend he hadn't been looking at her, trip, then give up entirely and just smile sheepishly at her. All the symptoms, she realized in horror, of a young man with a new love interest. She smiled stiffly back, and then hastened to reach Sabrina, who was still talking with Tas. "I think we're in trouble," she said quietly, through gritted teeth.

"Why?" Sabrina said in a normal voice, grinning foolishly. She was clearly having the time of her life.

"Never mind, I'll tell you later," Bethany negated, seeing that anything she told Sabrina would be lost on her at this point.

TBC


End file.
